Pastors: Act now or prepare for jail

Janet Porter is president of Faith2Action*: turning people of faith into people of action to WIN the cultural war TOGETHER for life, liberty and the family. Author of "The Criminalization of Christianity," she hosts a daily radio program from 2-3 p.m. Eastern and a daily radio commentary heard in 224 markets and at www.f2a.org.
* Title and affiliation for identification purposes only.

I’ve already told you about how H.R. 1592 will destroy equal justice (setting up a victim hierarchy), set up a Gay Gestapo with unlimited funds and send grandma to jail for sharing her faith on the public sidewalk, as happened in Philadelphia. But what you may not know is how this bill scheduled for a vote in the House this week will come after pastors and all those who disagree with the homosexual agenda out loud. H.R. 1592 the so-called “hate crimes” bill isn’t about hate. It isn’t about “crimes” (there are already stiff penalties against crimes); it’s about speech.

Forget theory. Let me give you a real-world example. Here’s a question: Which is worse? Actions or words? Robbing someone or calling him a mean name? Which one deserves the greater penalty?

Before you answer, let’s say the name was really mean, like being called “Four-eyes!” I played on the public school playground, used to wear glasses and have been victimized personally by such horrific verbal assaults. They hurt my feelings. And there ought to be stiff penalties for something like that. Stiff like 23 years behind bars? I don’t think so. But the state of New Hampshire does.

I know what you’re thinking. Can’t be. We can’t criminalize name calling. The public schools would be empty – with everyone behind bars until their 30s. Oh, I left something out. The mean name in New Hampshire isn’t “Four-eyes,” targeting the visually impaired; it isn’t “Fatso,” shamelessly targeting the lovers of cheesecake. The only people protected from mean names with a 23-year jail sentence are … homosexuals.

Robbing someone outside a convenience store is a Class-B felony in New Hampshire, which typically carries a sentence of three and a half to seven years in state prison along with a $4,000 fine. But according to Assistant County Attorney Roger Chadwick, if convicted of a “hate crime” (shouting an anti-homosexual name), the sentence becomes “enhanced” by 23-26 1/2 years – turning a three-year sentence into a 30-year sentence.

Oh, and it’s not a hypothetical. According to the New Hampshire Union Leader, John Guimond, 23, faced those charges. He was charged with stealing a cell phone from a homosexual man, 24, and his underage “male partner” (a statutory rape violation), after approaching them in a parking lot.

Stealing is a bad thing to do. But keep in mind, no weapon was used, no injury sustained. Just that mean name – something far, far worse. Think about it for a minute. If saying a mean anti-homosexual word adds an additional 23-26 ? years to a sentence, and people live to around 80, that penalty is one-fourth of your life for the words you say. And while this was in addition to a robbery penalty, how much of a jump would it really be to penalize the speech “infraction” alone? And just what constitutes an “anti-gay epithet”? Would an “anti-gay epithet” be to say, “Homosexuality is a sin,” or “Homosexuals should repent”? What if you informed someone that “Homosexuality is harmful to your health”? If I were you, I wouldn’t try it in New Hampshire.

So, if speech turns a three-year sentence into a 30-year sentence for a state “hate crime” violation, just what might H.R. 1592 do on the federal level? As Rep. (and former Judge) Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, pointed out on the House Judiciary Subcommittee, if passed, H.R. 1592 is going to put pastors in prison. Pointing to Title 18 of the US Criminal Code, Section 2 (a):

(a) Whoever commits an offense against the United States or aids, abets, counsels, commands, induces or procures its commission, is punishable as a principal. –18 USC Sec. 2

Pastor? Have you ever counseled from a biblical perspective or read from Roman 1? I Corinthians 6? Genesis 19? Leviticus 18 or 20? Then, if H.R. 1592 becomes law and someone who has attended your church, read your materials or heard your broadcast commits a crime – such as pushing away a cross-dresser’s unwelcome advances – you are “punishable as a principal,” as someone who “counsels” and “induces” the now-illegal belief that homosexual behavior is a sin.

Think this is a stretch? Think again. In 1998, I oversaw the national “Truth in Love” campaign, which expressed hope for change for those struggling in homosexuality – something for which I was accused of murder. Here’s a sample of one of the full-page “Truth-in-Love” campaign ads that caused all the commotion. One ad pictured 850 ex-homosexuals with the headline, “We’re standing for the truth that homosexuals can change.” Brace yourself for “hateful,” “bigoted” and “intolerant” speech said to be responsible for murder. (Note: If you’re under 18, you may want to ask your parents before reading it.):

We believe every human being is precious to God and is entitled to respect. But when we see great suffering among homosexuals, it’s an inherent Christian calling to show compassion and concern.

Wow. With words like “precious,” “respect,” “compassion” and “concern,” you can understand why the city of San Francisco would be prompted to accuse us of murder:

It’s not an exaggeration to say that there’s a direct correlation between these acts of discrimination, like Matthew Shepard, such as when gays and lesbians are called sinful, and when major religious organizations say they can change if they try, and the horrible crimes committed against gays and lesbians.

– City of San Francisco Board of Supervisors, Oct. 19, 1998.

We now have a governmental body on record connecting speech and violence. It’s not even violent speech. They are saying that the hopeful message that homosexuals can change is responsible for murder. That, my friend, is why the hate-crimes legislation is the most dangerous legislation in the country. It will lead to silencing our speech just as the city of San Francisco tried to do.

Or you can use your “right to remain silent.” But the House vote on H.R. 1592 is scheduled this week. Use it much longer, and those are the words you’ll hear before you’re put in the jail cell next to grandma for the “hate crime” of sharing the Gospel.